The Timberwolves are giving guard Brandon Roy more time to recover from his latest knee setback — as much as three to four weeks after a “non-surgical treatment program” — but club president of basketball operations David Kahn indicated Saturday night, Dec. 29, that the team is preparing as if the treatment “might not work.”

“We’re hoping for the best and preparing for the worst,” Kahn said before the Wolves’ game against Phoenix at Target Center. “We have to do what’s best for the team. Having said that, I’m rooting for him and hoping it will work.”

Kahn spoke to reporters to clarify Roy’s status amid reports that the 28-year-old veteran was considering retirement after experiencing more pain in his right knee. Roy, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on the knee on Nov. 19, had missed the previous two days of practice because of what the team termed “personal reasons.”

Kahn admitted that Roy has “thought of everything” over the past two days but stopped short of saying that the seven-year veteran, who has a history of knee problems, was prepared to give up his comeback attempt. Roy, a three-time NBA all-star, retired in December 2011 after his sixth season with Portland because of a degenerative condition in both knees.

Roy did not attend Saturday’s game but released a statement through the Wolves’ public relations department.

“Last week while practicing, I suffered a setback in my recovery,” he said in the statement. “I’ve felt better since the recent surgery, but I am not all the way better. The past two days, I have been weighing all of my options as I try to continue my basketball career. I have decided to explore additional treatment options and an extensive rehabilitation plan. My goal has been, and continues to be, to return to the basketball court as healthy as possible in order to help our team.”

Roy was projected to miss at least a month after the surgery, the seventh on his knees since his days at Garfield High School in his hometown of Seattle. He was cleared to practice two weeks ago, but Kahn said he began experiencing pain in his right knee “a week to 10 days ago.”

Roy had been upbeat about his latest knee rehab and told reporters after Thursday’s practice that if “things go well” in Friday’ practice, he was hopeful of playing Saturday night.

Wolves coach Rick Adelman did not share that optimism after Roy did not practice Friday.

“I think he was just trying to be positive,” Adelman said. “When he didn’t practice Friday, that kind of eliminated it (playing Saturday) as far as I’m concerned. It’s been tougher on Brandon not being able to play, but the league doesn’t wait for you. You have to keep playing. That’s how we’ve been approaching it as a team.”

Roy has not played since the first half of the Wolves’ Nov. 9 game against Indiana at Target Center. Discomfort in his right knee forced him to remain in the locker room and sit out the entire second half. Roy had started the first five games at shooting guard.

He originally was injured Oct. 27 when he bumped his knee against Milwaukee forward Ersan Ilyasova in the Wolves’ final exhibition game. Surgery was recommended when the pain didn’t subside after treatment.

Roy made it through training camp and most of the exhibition season without any knee problems before running into Ilyasova. Kahn said Roy’s goal is to regain the pain-free condition he had in his knee during the exhibition season.

“The pain is better than it was before the surgery but not low enough to match where he was in the preseason,” Kahn said. “That’s all he’s trying to do … to match up where he was in the preseason and be there for us in every game.”

Kahn acknowledged again Saturday that signing Roy was a “risk.” Roy signed a two-year, $10 million contract in August, but Kahn confirmed that the second year of the deal is not guaranteed.

“The past two days, we’ve had a very open and healthy exchange,” Kahn said of talks with Roy and his agent, Greg Lawrence. “We need to protect ourselves, and Brandon understands that. He’s understanding about his contract. He knows there can be all kinds of outcomes for next year. In the meantime, I’m hoping for the best as he pursues this path.”

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